Soulstrutter

Chalky has just posted footage of Darrow Fletcher performing at Wilton in 2012 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=268E8RPOhso I don't recognise the second track @ 4:40 'I'd Like To Be The One'??? - is it something he's never released? ... sounds similar to Let's Get Together so guessing from around the same time (1977?).

May well have Mike! ... but unfortunately don't have the first 3 issues Jan 30, Feb 7 & 14! This is actually the 5th issue not 4th as I prev stated. There was a Northern Noise column in the earliest I have (21 Feb). I was planning to scan them (NS pages that is not whole mag!) by year and put them in a pdf and make available to anyone who wants them. I'm missing about a 20 issues between 1976-1990 - so if anyone has any of the issues below please get in touch. 1976: Jan 30; Feb 7, 14; Apr 10 1977: Dec 31 1978: Sep 9, 16 1979: Oct 6; Nov 10, 24 1980: Apr 19; May 3, 10 1982: Oct 30 1983: Jan 8, 15; Mar 19 1984: Nov 3 1989: Jul 1; Sep 23; Dec 16

I thought some may be interested in this article - probably the earliest on NS in Echoes from 28th Feb 1976 (about the 4th issue)

I remember going to this but can't remember what year it was. Been through B&S from 86-90 and can see no ref to it! Starting to think altzeimer's is kicking in! ... was 'sure' it was around 87/88 ... or am I just imagining it? AB did 2 dates in Oct '88 and Jun '90 at Wembley and LV did several dates Jul 87 and Mar/Apr 89 & Mar '90... but can't see anything for them doing it together! UPDATE: Just found this on Soulful Detroit which suggest 1988/89 (so not completely 'out of it') ... but still can't see any adverts or anything on Datesheets ... unless she was added last minute to LV's Apr '89 show? "The Anita/Luther tour was circa 1988/89. I caught one concert, and it was very good. But there was a definite chill in the air. Neither would mention the other's name, and I recall many people being disappointed that there wasn't a duet performed. Of course, after tidbits of what went on came out, a duet couldn't have been performed, as it seemed as if they really disliked each other. But I think Anita said they did make up years later." https://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?4609-Anita-Baker-drama-at-Vh1-DIVAS-show

... about 12 years I would think ... as a known associate!!!!!

Thanks for that ... I suspected as much ... but just in case I was missing something as love the song. Surprisingly, it hasn't been covered by many, perhaps it's a difficult song to sing? A couple of versions not listed in blurb, The Platters, The Chants and of course Daisy Hicks modern take. Will Young, Jamie Cullum and a several others (names omitted to protect the guilty) have made attempts in the noughties but no one has come near to JW's original version although Erma Franklins did a good job.

Good point! ... other limited from Sonic Wax usually states 300 e.g. Doc Peabody.

In the sales blurb (pdf attached), it states that I Get The Sweetest Feeling was covered by Edwin Starr. I'm not sure who wrote the blurb but the intro is written by Ian Levine. I am not aware of Starr ever covering this .. unless of course it was one of Levine's wonders released on one of his compilations? Any ideas .. or is it simply an error?

I remember St Ives fondly as my first all nighter and went for 1st half of '76 as soon as I could drive (as it was in the middle of nowhere) before having to move to North of Scotland (father in Air Force posted) - I was 'devastated' ... until I found a little soul club in Aberdeen Center City Soul Club ... and who do you think frequented said club ... only Mr Keb Darge, Billy Davidson (Southport weekender DJ), Steve Aggasild who had until recently the longest running soul show on radio, Irvi Milne and Speedy Allen .. so all wasn't lost and soon coach trips were running to Wigan!!!! ... happy days! ... and soon after all nighters were running in Aberdeen. I returned to East Anglia in '95 and I'm not sure how well it's know that there still is, and always has been, a big soul scene here. Kettering, Wellingborough, Bedford, Northampton, Peterborough, Cambridge - seems like we always play second fiddle to the North, when the 'big' venues are declared - St. Ives is rarely mentioned. ... but we did have some of the top DJs Soul Sam, John Vincent, Ginger & Eddie, Brian Rae a well as locals Tony Dellar, Hammie, Tony Warot and others (did Kev Draper also appear?) and had the best of all worlds as Mecca, Wigan and Cleethorpes tunes were all played side by side. The top tunes I recall from my time were Maurice Williams, Nate Evans, Kenny Smith (and many others I've forgotten about), it was also the time of instrumentals like Falbala, The Flasher, The Champion, The Gig, Disco Connection etc., others I remember getting spins then were Prince George, Rimshots, Moments (9 times), East Coast Connection, and I remember Today's People being hammered to death! - not many of these would get a look in these days but we were young!

Hey Steve & Chalky ... just found this great thread whilst doing some research ... did you 2 progress this further? If not, I'm sure there's a few us us with time on our hands now to help! Shame to leave them collecting dust!

Absolutely nothing to feel 'guilty' about as far as I'm concerned ... his arrangement and delivery is superb. Been a long time fav! For any poor soul not familiar with it:

That'll be at least the 3rd then ... as seller relisted one right after the last one sold. How many more were sold before you discovered it?

Thanks Mike ... it isn't nearly as bad as expected! ... especially for a Nottingham lass according to Kev R ('Carolyn Willis'??? ) .. Manship posted it on his YT Channel a couple of years ago - as others stated in thread the sound is p*** poor unless it's just JM's recording!- the flip is the instrumental. .. That just leaves Flyers - Sky High to uncover!

Thanks for that ... agree best on list (which isn't hard is it ) and a stormer - seems to be white promo only and her only release? Any idea about 19 - Flyers - Sky High or 11 Judy Church - That Beatin' Rhythm ... sounds like it could be a horrible (white?) cover of Richard Temple by Charlotte's mother ?

For me, the other side of Posse - 'Are You Ready' is a better track. Posse were a Detroit group managed by Eddie Kendricks who co-wrote the song with Mike Stokes - who's finest hour was writing Creative Source - Don't Be Afraid - now that's a record that should be reactivated! - only got a 45 release in UK - US album only.

You' have liked to thinks so .... but here's a scan of Black Echoes 24th March 1979 ... and Russ was still up to his old tricks (I think I'd stopped going by then) - what appals me most is that nearly half of his 'so-called' top 20 were the latest Casino Classic releases of which all were white pop records and out of the 20 there are only 2 (maybe 3) that I would call soul records! That would be nearly a whole hour listening to sh*te! I think the list has more to do with plugging the latest Casino Classics releases than reality of what was popular at that time as if he'd played a set of this sh*te he would (or should) have been lynched! 01/ Casino Classics white pop 02/ Casino Classics white pop 03/ Casino Classics white pop 04/ Casino Classics white pop 05/ Casino Classics white pop 06/ white pop 07/ Casino Classic white pop 08/ Casino Classic white pop 09/ cover up? 10/ mediocre soul record 11/ never heard it or of it ... must be a cover up? 12/ white pop 13/ Dutch Robinson cover up - the only soul record 14/ UK Mercury pop 15/ Destiny instrumental 16/ Poppy soul record 17/ OK live cover of Billy Butler 18/ another blue-eye 'monster'! compared to the rest of list sounds ok but had this in a soul pack long before 1979 and never thought it was good enough to play! 19/ don't recall or know this and can find no trace so suspect it's a cover up? 20/ More white pop!

So the 'Soul Police' state that you can't play an original from CD? It 'must' be on vinyl only (OVO) even though it was never originally released on vinyl which then 'encourages' (let us say less than scrupulous) people to press it on vinyl to 'satisfy demand' at much higher prices than the original and others to buy the 'pressing' as it is the only way to obtain it on vinyl to conform the the SP rules? I don't know whether or not the SonicWax pressing is legal (even if it is it's hardly 'original' as it was released 9 years later - surely a reissue at best ... how was there demand for it if it could never have been played as it was CD only until this release ... do you see the hypocisy?) Let's 'assume' for a moment that it isn't legal, so someone else then bootlegs a bootleg and profits from it! The original artist, composers and record company receive nothing and that is somehow acceptable? Just shows the double standards. I guess at some time we have all bought bootlegs knowingly or unknowingly - they were freely available at all nighters in the 70s at £1.25 a pop ... but we were teenagers then being exploited and we should know better by now! I take Soulman58's point ... but royalties don't get paid on the resale market ... but at least you are buying an original product which royalties would have been paid on when first purchased rather than lining bootleggers pockets. Chalky makes a good point re: Corey Glover and many others which were never released on vinyl and what about new releases available only via digital download or very limited edition vinyl 7s - which suits this 'scene' as they appreciate in value overnight and I know of some who buy only to sell on for a profit as they know there will be a demand when the 1st run sells out!. (e.g. Benjamin & Right Direction and many others on these neo soul labels). The 'scene' is being exploited by those who see it as easy to profit from ... but only if there are those who are prepared to buy their products ... think about it! Here's the sales pitch (hyperbole) posted on SS when it was first released: "BIGGEST MODERN SOUL DANCER EVER !!!!!.Available On A 45 For The First Time Tjis Cd Spin Has Been Packing Dancefloors For 15 Years,A Real Hands In The Air ANTHEM" Really 15 years? ... it had only been originally released 9 year before ... and suggests that it was originally played from CD! ... I rest my case!

Yeah I get that .... but my question (and yours was) ... a/ why pay more for a carver than you could 'potentially' get an 'original' for (assuming Sonic Wax one is legit? even if it is it's not strictly an original it's a reissue on vinyl) b/ why buy a vinyl bootleg which you can't/shouldn't play out when you could get the genuine original on CD for less than £10 ... it's madness! To make matters worse the carver isn't even a one-off as seller has automatically relisted another ... and presumably another followed by another..... I don't know (or care) who the seller is and they have stated clearly in the listing what it is ... (not that that makes it right as its a bootleg of an active mainstream artist on a major label so could end up in all sorts of deep brown stuff!) ... I don't understand the people who bid on it knowing that it's a bootleg and paying ridiculous price for it when it is freely available on CD.

At the risk of creating a 'discussion' what's the obsession of having it on vinyl? ... was the SonicWax vinyl release 'official'??? The 'original' release was a CD single that you can easily pick up for less than a tenner https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/563487?ev=rb ... or 'Face Up' album ... also only released on CD which you can get for less than a fiver! https://www.discogs.com/Lisa-Stansfield-Face-Up/release/1250570 I know, I know ... it's so 'I can play it out' ... but what's the bigger sin ... playing it off an 'original' CD or off a bootlegged carver? ....I'll get my coat!

Bidding ended at 2pm £88 - 20 bids ... AND seller has relisted another one. 'Born every minute ... there is one'! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lisa-Stansfield-eight-three-one-New-7-Northern-soul/174514513710?hash=item28a1e0272e:g:J1cAAOSwB4Zfodhw

Agree Mike - LU was primarily a 'show' singer and most of her material was pretty MOR ....but her version is better than both DW and BoM!

Looks like BoM version was released before Leslie Uggam in 1970... not sure I agree 'it' not half bad' ... but piqued my interest to look into writer Ralph Murphy (a Brit who moved to Canada and then US) - he was predominantly a C&W writer (for Crystal Gayle, Shania Twain, Ronnie Milsap and the likes) but he also wrote Miss D. D. Phillips - Hey Little Girl, and some tracks for Ad Libs (Love Me), Kenny Bernard (Isn't That A Good Idea, Hey Woman & Victim Of Perfume And Lace) Timothy Wilson (Shine), Freddie North (Sun Comes Up) & Donnie Elbert (Along Came Pride / Time Hangs On My Mind) ad in 80s Marcia Hines ‎– She Got You, Eloise Laws - If You Don't Love Me By Now.

Conspiracy theorist are out speculating that he died of Covid-19!! He released a single only on 18th Oct in collaboration with Mydason and posted a message on Mydason's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Mydason/) on 28th Oct - although listening to it it does look as if it was recorded before 18th Oct as he asks people to buy it on 18th Oct. - but would they have posted it on 28th Oct if they knew he had / was dying of Covid? 11 days after his death I've finally pulled together a 'Very Best Of' compilation of Rance Allen's tunes after going through his complete 50 year catalogue. Narrowed it down to 50 with the obvious and not so obvious. Man could this guy sing! https://soulstrutter.blogspot.com/2020/11/rance-allen-rip-20111948-31102020.html Playlist in chronological order of release (i.e. not a chart!):

Surprised to stumble across this clip of Dionne Warwick singing Love Is A Good Foundation - the same track as Leslie Uggams Wigan biggie. It's on The Glen Campbell Show from Sep 1971 - so around the same time as Uggams recorded it. It doesn't appear that Warwick ever recorded it though (as I can't find anything but perhaps someone knows) but did notice that she produced it for Uggams which may explain her singing it. UPDATE Ooops ... sorry just realised that this was posted in 2016 but link doesn't seem to work so will leave for now but will remove if requested.